


Pressed Flames

by staristired



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: F/F, M/M, Tyrus - Freeform, aged up to about 25, bandi - Freeform, bitter exes tarty, city AU, they dont know each other, tj is a librarian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 22:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17796218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staristired/pseuds/staristired
Summary: TJ is a librarian in a city he just moved into, and he's starting to take interest in a particular man that comes in and checks out 15 books a week.





	Pressed Flames

Putting in his bookmark that was just really a polaroid of him and his ex-boyfriend, TJ closed the book he was reading and looked up to see who the front bell had made noise for. The library in their city was barely busy, but there was always the soft vibration of whispers and the smell of pages that made it feel like a money-making lucid dream.

The man entering smiled at him before walking off again into the history book section for the third time that month. If he did the same thing he did last time, TJ was going to have to look up their library’s policy for checking out books. The main librarian was out for the month, and he had no way to contact her over “a man who checks out 15 books a week.” If the weekly limit wasn’t 15, TJ was sure he’d take more of them.

TJ surveyed the library. Two twin girls that were in middle school were sitting on the red bean bags by the teen lit section, an old couple were looking through history archives, and a mom and her two little kids were looking around. TJ smiled at the little kids who were on their best behavior, looking over at TJ in fear every time they said a word too loud. TJ would wave them off with a smile, and they’d go back to trailing behind their mom like little duckling.

The people in the library that day made TJ miss his hometown where his twin sister and mom were. The man who had a thing for checking out a million books a week, had a cute smile that reminded him of ex-boyfriend while still managing to trap TJ in a bubble that said, “Look at me only.”

TJ went back to his book, waiting for anyone to go up to him. Managing a library alone with a coworker here and there was surprisingly easy, so his freaking out about the main librarian leaving him alone for a month was in vain.

“Hey,” the man placed a stack of thick history books on the counter, startling an unsuspecting TJ to the point that his polaroid fell down to his feet.

“Hey,” TJ looking down at the floor, his ex’s smile taking over the photo before looking up at the man who was giving him the same smile.

“I’ll be back with more,” the man took a deep breath, placing his library card on the counter before walking away again.

“O-okay,” TJ nodded, the man already not being able to hear him. TJ bent down to pick up the polaroid and stuck it back into his book. He picked up the library card and for the first time, looking at the name.

**Cyrus Goodman**

He’d remember that. He started checking out the books, placing them in a neat pile before Cyrus came back with the rest to complete the 15. Cyrus quietly waited there, not saying a word to TJ like always. TJ felt like asking him what he was doing with so many textbook-like novels. None of them were even from the same era, but by the time he was done checking out the books, he still didn’t know how to ask a question.

TJ handed back the library card and told him, “Here ya’ go. Have a nice day.”

“Thank you,” Cyrus smiled, his eyes moving to the name tag pinned on his shirt, “TJ.”

“No problem,” TJ said, watching Cyrus take the large tower of books outside the library door. He turned over to look at the twin girls who were giggling, sinister smiles that reminded him of his twins glowing from across the room. They had been watching whatever spectacle that was the whole time. He simply rolled his eyes and went back to reading, the smallest of smiles resting on his lips.

-

Cyrus closed the passenger car door, leaning back in the seat as Buffy turned on the car.

“Did you talk to him?” she asked him.

“I just got his name,” Cyrus frowned, clicking his seatbelt. “I even purposely made two trips and left my library card with him, so he’d have a chance to look at my name.”

“Did he?”

“I don’t think so,” Cyrus sighed, leaning his cheek on the car seat, looking out the window to the old brick building, shadowed by the new complexes in the city. “You’d think that he’d ask me by now why I need all these books.”

“You’d the think the library would’ve called the cops on you by now,” Buffy laughed, pulling out of the parking space she technically wasn’t supposed to be in. “You officially have 45 books.”

Cyrus turned to look at one of his best friends, “Hey, I’m only doing this for you and Andi. Usually, I wouldn’t care if the library thought I was a weirdo checking out all these books at the same time, but you happen to want to start Operation Propose to Andi at the same time there’s a cute new librarian.”

“Gertrude Millers isn’t there anymore?” Buffy asked him.

“I haven’t seen her, but her photo is still up,” Cyrus said. “She’s probably just taking time off.”

“I should go in and try to check books out, too,” Buffy joked. “I doubt your librarian lover has seen the list of people who are banned.”

“First off, his name is TJ,” Cyrus told her, his nose burning red, “second of all-,”

“TJ Maxx?”

“Buffy,” Cyrus whined, making her giggle, “second of all, you’re going to have to do that without me. I’m not trying to get arrested for sneaking in a felon into the library.”

“You accidentally burn a section of the library and suddenly you’re a criminal,” Buffy smirked. “That happened like, 10 years ago.”

“9 years ago,” Cyrus corrected her, “but Gertrude has impeccable memory.”

“She’s going to outlive me and personally spit on my grave before they burry me,” Buffy joked, “you can count on it.”

“How did Andi fall in love with you again?”

“I’m really funny,” Buffy smirked. “Also, pretty romantic. Who else would’ve come up with this idea of pressed flowers?”

“Me,” Cyrus said, “only I’m never going to get married, so you can claim the idea as 100% yours.”

“I guess you did contribute,” Buffy smiled. “Anyways, who knows, that TJ guy could be your soulmate.”

“You’re only so optimistic because you already found yours.”

“Damn right I did.”

-

It was Friday again, and TJ was waiting for Cyrus to walk through the doors again.

He was reading a different book now, same bookmark. His twin sister would be heavily disappointed if she knew he still had that photo. He had burned everything from his ex with her before he moved out into the city to start going to school again. The polaroid was in a book he had left half read, and he didn’t discover it until he started unpacking. Amber had done most of the work when burning the things the first (and second, third, and fourth) time, and he couldn’t bring himself to throw it away. If Amber hadn’t blocked Marty for him on all of his social media accounts, blocked his number, and deleted his phone number that she knew he’d never remember again, TJ was really sure of the fact that he would’ve sent him a photo of the polaroid saying, “Look what I found :-),” on Snapchat.

TJ fumbled with the polaroid between his thumb and index finger as he read, blurring out the people in the library. One of his coworkers was walking around, fixing things on shelves, so he exactly set on people watching that day. He was just watching out for one person.

Then Cyrus came in, and gave TJ a wave, making his heart race in his chest. He felt like his leather jacket was rising up and setting down with every pound of his heart. TJ gave him a smile and quickly moved his eyes back down to his book as Cyrus disappeared into the science section of the library. He had already cleared out the big books from the history section, and TJ knew that his coworker was going to watch this average height man somehow carry a large stack of books in one trip.

After 20 minutes or so, there was a pile on the desk, and Cyrus’ voice asking, “Who are you reading?”

“Michael Nava,” TJ answered stiffly, setting his book open on the counter. “Can I see your library card?”

“Yeah,” Cyrus said slowly, carefully eyeing the open book as he took out his wallet from his jean pocket. He handed it to him, and TJ quickly began scanning the books.

“You like his Henry Rios stories I’m assuming,” Cyrus asked him, trying to make conversation.

“Did you sneak in an extra book?” TJ asked him, a smirk on his face.

“What?” Cyring furrowed a brow. “Why makes you think that I’m a criminal?”

“I mean,” TJ laughed, “you come in here every week and check out 15 big books, and you never make conversation. Luckily for me, the computer tells me when you’ve hit 15, so I don’t have to count.”

“I’m honestly just trying to make conversation with you,” Cyrus defended himself, a cheeky smile on his face. “Checking out all of these books is a long process.”

“Tell me about it,” TJ smiled, typing away on the computer. “But if you wanted to get extra books, I could override the system for you and get you an extra 10.” He had read the library guidelines. They were ancient and there was no limit to how many books Cyrus could have in total. Just fifteen a week with exceptions to scholars. Gertrude didn’t have to know.

“Maybe next week,” Cyrus said, getting his library card back, once again eyeing the open book. “I don’t think I can fit them all in my friend’s car.”

“See you next week then?” TJ asked.

Cyrus nodded and picked up the tall pile of books, “Next week.”

-

“He’s gay,” Cyrus said as he shut the door to Buffy’s car for the fourth time that month.

“Did he tell you?” Buffy raised a brow as she started the car again.

“He was reading a Michael Nava novel.”

“King.”

“Not only that,” Cyrus sighed, leaning his head back, “he had a polaroid of his boyfriend as a bookmark. I can’t even get mad,” Cyrus groaned. “That’s super cute.”

“I want to see how he looks like,” Buffy said as she pulled out of the parking lot, Cyrus hurrying to put his seatbelt on.

“He’s cute,” Cyrus sighed, “like, really cute.”

“So I’ve heard,” Buffy laughed.

“He said he could get me an extra 10 books if I needed them.”

“So, he flirted with you?” Buffy raised her eyebrows.

“I hope not,” Cyrus said.

“Yeah you do.”              

“Buffy, please,” Cyrus turned to look at her, a frown set, “that would be really unethical and inappropriate considering he has a boyfriend.”

“Give him your number.”

“Stop it!”

“Ask him if that’s his boyfriend.”

“Buffy!”

-

TJ tapped his fingers on the counter impatiently. All he does is look forward to Friday’s now simply because Cyrus would go in to check out a ridiculous amount of books. He didn’t even know how he was going to return them all one day. He still didn’t know what they were for and as he rolled on his twin-sized mattress in his studio late at night, he fought over the idea of asking him.

Even if Cyrus wasn’t gay either, it would be nice to make some friend. He had made a few acquaintances in his classes, but a lot of the people were four or more years younger than him which made him feel a standoffish. He cursed Marty for making him want to move so far away from everything he loved- for holding him back.

“Hey, TJ,” Cyrus walked in, a big Ross bag at his side. “I’m going to take up the offer for the extra 10 books,” he said and disappeared right into the science section again. TJ felt like every time he blinked, he missed him. He looked around the rest of the library at that moment. The same twin girls were watching him carefully and there was a couple of high school boys looking through movie archives in the back. They had all taken a liking to TJ and always liked to fill him in with cheesy high school drama that reminded TJ a lot of his hometown. City kids were strange, too, he guessed.

Cyrus came by with the first few books and set his library card on the desk, “No book today?”

“My eyes and head have been hurting, so I’m waiting on my glasses to come in,” TJ admitted, scratching the back of his head with one hand as he reached over for the card.

“I have never seen you with glasses,” Cyrus commented, a smile on his face.

“Exactly why eyes and head have been hurting,” TJ laughed it off, starting to check out the first book. Cyrus simply let out a small chuckle before going back to retrieve more books.

He came back and set the remaining amount on the desk, TJ typing away on the computer, “This is last time bothering you with all these check outs.”

TJ stopped typing for a split second before continuing, gulping as he asked, “Why is that?”

“I have enough books,” Cyrus told him. “Finally.”

“I’ve never asked you,” TJ tried to sound as casual as he could, “why have you been checking out all these books?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Cyrus grinned, making TJ smile a little. “My best friend is proposing to our other best friend, and we all like pressing flowers here and there to sell phone cases and necklaces and stuff, so she’s going to fill this room full of pressed flowers and write ‘marry me’ out of them.”

“She?”

“They’re gay,” Cyrus shrugged.

“Ah,” TJ nodded and somehow let the words slip out of his mouth, “same.”

Cyrus gave him a grin and asked him, “The guy in the polaroid. Is that your boyfriend?”

TJ’s eyes went wide open and he shook his head as quickly as he could, “Nope. Never.”

“Oh,” Cyrus shifted a little where he was standing.

“Anyways,” TJ did a fake yawn, “when is she proposing?”

“Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s in two months,” TJ said as he eyed the calendar in the corner.

“We know. We have to be extra prepared.”

“Also, did you really need this many books?” TJ asked him.

“Well I mostly listen to audio books, and my friend Buffy can’t take her and her future fiancée’s library down without her noticing. Obviously, we turned here,” Cyrus said. “Also, we’re going to need a lot and a lot of flowers.”

“Well,” TJ handed him back his library card. “Good luck.”

“Thank you,” Cyrus smiled at him. “Also,” Cyrus said as he started putting the books carefully in the bag, “I’ve been meaning to ask if you’re from around here?”

“I am not,” TJ shook his head. “I’m from a small town called Shadyside.”

“How’d a farm town kid end up in Oak City?” Cyrus asked him.

“School,” TJ said. “I’ve been putting it off for a while, and I finally decided to come to Heartland U.”

“Go pirates,” Cyrus smiled. “What’s your major?”

“Child development.”

“Nice,” Cyrus smiled. “If you want, I can give you my number, and we can hang out if you ever get lonely.” TJ couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He stood still for half a second before jumping back into reality.

“Uh, yeah,” he nodded, looking around the desk for a sticky note and pen. “That’d be great.” He handed them to Cyrus who wrote down his number for him.

“Here you go,” Cyrus slid it back over to him. “See you later, TJ.”

“Bye, Cyrus,” he nodded softly at the other man. When Cyrus was out the door, TJ’s eyes immediately went to the source of background giggling. The twins were smiling, and he couldn’t help but smile back at them.

He took out his book from under the counter and without hesitation, threw Marty’s polaroid in the trash to replace is with Cyrus’ number.

-

They had been texting back and forth for a week, and TJ hadn’t felt so warm in such a long time. He finally got the motivation to build the frame for his bed and decorate his kitchen with random things from Marshall’s that Amber had bought him. It was a nice feeling to go home to study and sleep in a place that felt a little homier. Cyrus was planning on organizing a hangout soon so he could meet the rest of his friends.

Then a Tuesday night, at 2AM, TJ got a phone call. It was an unsaved number but seeing as he was still half asleep and his eyes couldn’t translate the numbers to his brain, he answered.

“Hello?” TJ yawned.

“TJ,” someone frantically said on the other line, “please don’t hang up! Please listen to me.”

“Marty?” TJ’s heart dropped, this time to his stomach, and it instead of butterflies, it created one of the most nauseating feelings he had felt in a very long time.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Marty choked, sounding as if he was about to cry. “TJ, I’m so sorry. God, I’m so sorry.” TJ felt like he was in a state of déjà vu. He had heard this before. He had heard this same sob story over four times.

_“He’s going to keep using the same lines because they always work,” Amber told him as she burned the first love letters Marty gave him in a camp fire. “That’s why the next time you hear them, you have to stop listening, TJ. He doesn’t love you. He just needs you.”_

“Marty,” TJ sat up in his bed, looking out at the window. It was pitch black and not even the moon could offer comfort as it hid away in the darkness of the city. “Save it.”

“T-,”

“Don’t you get tired, Marty?” TJ asked him, a deep frown on his face as the conversation aged him. “I did. We didn’t work out, Marty. It’s been taking me so long to get over you, and I think I finally am. Please just leave me alone.”

“8 years, TJ,” Marty reminded him, sobbing on the other line.

“We broke up 10 months ago, Marty,” TJ ran his hair through his fingers, pulling on the top of his scalp. “If you really love me, Marty,” TJ sighed, letting his hair go, “never call me again.”

TJ hung up the phone and laid back down, immediately rushing his hands to press on his eyes, trying to stop himself from crying over him again. He had a good four-month streak of not crying, but he guessed it’d be a good time to break it. He turned over on his stomach as his phone continued to ring, and he screamed into his pillow over and over, muffling out the sound as much as possible as he let the phone ring. He wished he could’ve recognized at least the area code number. He would’ve known. He knows he wouldn’t have answered.

The ringing stopped after who knows how long, and TJ didn’t even remember falling asleep. But when he finally felt a brief moment of peace, it got shattered as his phone started ringing again. Furiously, he sat up and answered the phone in a very brief and fuzzy moment.

“Can you stop fucking calling me before I block you for good?” TJ yelled at the other line. His chest was icy from how exhausted he felt, and he could feel the wetness brim the corner of his eyes.

“TJ?” Cyrus answered. TJ’s eyes landed on the rising sun outside the window, the pink skies decorating Oak City as he realized his mistake.

“Oh god, Cyrus, I’m so sorry,” TJ muttered, trying to remember how to form coherent sentences.

“No, I’m sorry,” Cyrus said, “it’s like, 5 in the morning and I woke you up.”

“Wait, what’s wrong?” TJ asked him, trying to shove all his memories of Marty to the back of his mind. Her wished Amber could’ve set those on fire, too.

“I was going to ask you for a huge favor, but I don’t think this is the time.”

“My ex called me at 2 in the morning, and it upset me,” TJ told him bluntly. “It’s nothing life changing. What can I do for you?”

-

“So, you’re TJ?” Buffy shook his hand as Cyrus finished setting down the last few books in his studio.

“The one and only,” TJ smiled, shaking her hand back.

“Look, I know we’re just strangers, but I really appreciate this a whole lot,” Buffy told him. “Andi has almost seen these books about twelve times, and our other option bailed on us.”

“Yeah, I don’t mind,” TJ told her, looking at the piles of books set neatly against the wall. “I like the old page smell.”

“You’re a real life saver,” Cyrus said to him, grinning widely. TJ felt his cheeks grow rosy and from the corner of his eyes, he knows Buffy smirked.

“I’m just hoping this gets me an invitation to the wedding, honestly,” TJ joked.

“Oh, you’re definitely coming,” Buffy smiled before checking her watch. “Cyrus I gotta get to work soon. We better leave now, so I can drop you off.”

“I’ll take a taxi,” Cyrus told her. “You’re already late, I know it.” Buffy smiled and said her goodbyes before rushing out the door and closing it behind her.

“I can take you,” TJ offered.

Cyrus turned to look at him and said, “No, it’s alright. You’ve already done so much. You should really go back to sleep.”

“I’m not going back to sleep after all that happened in this span of four hours,” TJ chuckled. “I’m wide awake for my 8AM. Let me take you,” he insisted.

“Fine,” Cyrus smiled.

“Coffee first?”

“Please.”

-

“So how long were you and your ex together?” Cyrus asked him as he sat across from him, stirring his coffee.

“8 years,” TJ said, staring down into his own drink. He looked up when he heard Cyrus gasp. “On and off, though. Like, a lot. Maybe there’s like two years’ worth of months that we were fighting somewhere in there. I’m over it. I’m way over it.”

“Is that why you came here to Oak City?” Cyrus asked him. “To get away?”

“Yeah,” TJ nodded. “I wasn’t doing anything back home besides small work here and there. Nothing important. Now here I am, helping secure a future gay wedding. My mom would be so proud of me.”

Cyrus laughed, “I bet. Buffy really appreciated that you’re keeping the books. Like, a lot. We tried both my place and another friend’s place but living in the same complex gets tricky.”

“I bet,” TJ smiled. “If her proposal is like this, I can’t wait to see the wedding.”

“Me, either.”

-

Cyrus knocked on TJ’s studio door on the night of February 14th, asking, “Hey, TJ? Are you home?” Cyrus didn’t bother calling before going over anymore. He knew TJ’s schedule by memory and showed up whenever he wanted, sometimes with Buffy and Andi (who didn’t question who a librarian had so many books), sometimes with more people, sometimes alone. They immediately adopted TJ into their friend group, and TJ felt like Oak City was his home now. Cyrus made everything better with his smile and intuitive knack for comedy. He definitely had a crush on him, and he didn’t know what to do with himself sometimes.

“Coming,” TJ rushed to open the door. He flashed a smile at the shorter man a smile and said, “Hey, Cy, come in.” Cyrus walked in and hastily handed TJ over a book and box of chocolates tied together with a ribbon.

“Happy Valentine’s day,” Cyrus said, TJ looking wide eyed at the blushing man.

“Cyrus,” TJ whispered setting down his present on the kitchen counter, “thank you.”

“I’m sorry if you think it’s weird,” Cyrus started apologizing, “I can totally take it back and pretend it never happened.” Without saying anything, TJ walked up to Cyrus and hugged him, wrapping both of his arms right around him. Cyrus stood still for a moment before hugging him back.

“Happy Valentine’s day,” TJ whispered. “You’ve done so much for me, honestly.”

Cyrus pulled away slightly and looked up at TJ, a smile on his face, “I’m really glad we chose to go to Little Red’s Library.”

“Why?” TJ gazed down at him, his eyes studying his features for the millionth time since they became friends. He’s never had him this close up, and he was sure Cyrus could heard his happy heart beat at that proximity.

“Because,” Cyrus smiled, making TJ’s breath hitch slightly, “I got to meet my favorite librarian.”

“I really want to kiss you right now,” TJ caught himself blurting out.

“Then do it,” Cyrus told him. TJ gave him a small grin before bending down to kiss Cyrus, moving one hand up to cup his face.

“Wow,” TJ whispered, placing another firm kiss on his lips, “I’m so glad I moved here.” Before Cyrus could kiss him again, his phone started ringing, and he frantically pulled away.

“Oh man, it’s Buffy,” Cyrus started jumping around excitedly. She had been in the process of proposing for the last few hours. TJ, Cyrus, and her worked on the proposal project for eight hours straight one weekend.

“Answer it!” TJ urged him. Cyrus answered the Facetime call and when they showed up, all they saw was Andi’s hand and a ring.

“I did it!” you could hear Buffy on the other line.

“Congratulations!” TJ told them, waving behind Cyrus.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for almost two decades,” Cyrus smiled, putting his hand over his heart, “I’m so happy for you two.”

“Thank you, Cyrus,” Buffy smiled, turning the camera to them.

“I can’t believe you all managed to keep this from me,” Andi laughed.

“Team work makes the dream work,” Cyrus winked. “Let me know when you guys start planning!”

“Probably next month,” Buffy shrugged, “I don’t know. What are you guys up to.” Both Cyrus and TJ instinctively bit their lip and Buffy raised a brow, smirking at Cyrus as TJ walked away from the camera’s view. “I think I got it. Happy Valentine’s day you two.”

“Happy Valentine’s day,” Cyrus smiled before hanging up. He put his phone away and looked over at TJ who was looking at the new Michael Nava book he had bought him. “Do you like it?”

“Yeah,” TJ nodded before walking over to him, and carefully pulling him in, “but I think I like you a lot more.”

“I know I like you a lot more,” Cyrus smiled before standing up on his tippy toes to kiss him once more.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the secret valentine day exchange for my friend Kate! I did not proof read yieksz.


End file.
